City taking citizens’ pulse on community issues

This week, city officials mailed a 25-question survey to local water customers, asking questions about Tonganoxie. Residents' answers will help guide development of a comprehensive plan for the city.

"We want to see if we're going in the right direction with the plan and what we're doing with it," said Linda Zacher, city planner.

City officials will use the completed comprehensive plan to guide development during the next few years. Determining the size of Tonganoxie in the next quarter century will be a daunting task, Zacher said.

"We expect the population of Tonganoxie to double a couple of times, at least, over the next 20 years," Zacher said.

The questions on the survey seek residents' opinions on a wide variety of topics, including shopping, neighborhoods, community atmosphere, quality of life, transportation and housing.

Zacher said her goal is for each member of the community to complete a survey.

Anyone who did not receive one may call city hall to have a survey mailed to them. Or residents can pick up surveys at city hall.

On June 10 at Tonganoxie Days the city will set up a booth, where a draft of the comprehensive plan will be available for review. In addition, Zacher said, city officials will provide a photo survey at the booth that will gauge residents' reactions to different types of commercial, industrial and multifamily development.

Although Zacher hopes to have the comprehensive plan completed soon, she said it likely will be updated next spring, once 2000 Census data is available.